Symbol vs. Motif: What’s the Difference?

Last week, I blitzed through Veronica Roth’s Divergent in about a day. For as long as it was, it was a really quick read, which is good if I plan on seeing the movie in the next week or so. If you’ve read Divergent, you may have noticed the symbols running throughout the book (e.g. ravens, Dauntless’ flames, and so on). Or are they motifs? Or are they symbols?

What is the difference between a symbol vs. motif?

Symbol vs. Motif in Divergent

One of the main things I noticed early in the book is that the factions that define the citizens of the city each have their own designated wardrobe. Tris, the main character, is born in a faction that is defined by their selflessness, and all members of that faction wear the same shapeless gray clothes. When she chooses her new faction, she chooses the faction defined by bravery and fearlessness, and all members of that faction dress in black and display tattoos and piercings.

These dress codes pretty solidly symbolize the traits of each of the factions. But they only represent the faction personalities. With a symbol, there’s no significance to the plot tied to the dress codes other than establishing the personalities of the factions. This is what distinguishes a symbol from its plot-focused cousin, the motif.

What is a Motif?

A motif is something symbolic that shows up in a work to reinforce the work’s main theme. Usually, it’s a physical object, but sometimes it can take on a different form. Motifs recur throughout a work as opposed to only appearing once, and they must hold significance to the plot.

Motifs typically are used in one of three ways:

a single object that appears multiple times throughout the work with most of the emphasis placed on the item

a collection of related objects that appear multiple times to emphasize the theme

a collection of seemingly unrelated items that serve to draw attention to the theme in a subtler manner.

With a motif, the reader might need to work to find the connection, but motifs serve the theme of the novel.

The unicorn in The Glass Menagerie is an example of the first type of motif, while the murders in Se7en are indicative of the second type.

To sum up: a symbol’s meaning is determined by its history and purpose in the work, while a motif’s meaning depends on how it is being used in that work.

What are some symbols and motifs that you’ve noticed in books and movies?

PRACTICE

Your society is broken up into several separate factions. In your practice, write about where you fit, using one symbol and one motif.

Write for fifteen minutes. When you’re finished, post your practice in the comments section. And if you post, be sure to comment on a few practices by other writers.

About Liz Bureman

Liz Bureman has a more-than-healthy interest in proper grammatical structure, accurate spelling, and the underappreciated semicolon. When she's not diagramming sentences and reading blogs about how terribly written the Twilight series is, she edits for the Write Practice, causes trouble in Denver, and plays guitar very slowly and poorly. You can follow her on Twitter (@epbure), where she tweets more about music of the mid-90s than writing.

Mar Ri O

First post guys, copy and pasted basically as-is. Thanks for looking over it in advance!

I sat there in my study, eyes intent, fingers hesitant, focusing on the paper laid out before me. I hadn’t much time left, but I hadn’t much ideas either. I stared at the blank page longer, trying to fill it with the nothingness in my mind and frustration crawled up my spine like a spider in the middle of the night. I shook my head quickly, my nose rings clanging against each other, and tried to calm down. This wasn’t me, and this wasn’t the right time. I’d been procrastinating on finishing the weekly project for the majority of the week and now that I’d finally forced myself to do it, I couldn’t. The room, filled with so many paintings and ornaments and eccentricities, with all its colors, and all its quirk seemed restricting and drab to me. Gray and black and death seemed more appealing than lamps and bed and windows which is comforting because at the rate things are going, I won’t have those for long.

The clock ticked behind me, insistent and consistent.

My blood pressure rose. Pen and paper, pen and paper. So many times before I’d combine those things and more would come of it. I was a prodigy, as a child I’d beaten known veterans in painting and fiction and poetry contests, and people expected things of me now. Scholars from Erudite wrote that I was to become the voice of our time. But I couldn’t even find my own voice anymore. I can’t paint, I can’t write, and I can’t create. It was scary. Losing this ability, even momentarily, is akin to losing an arm. I feel helpless and awkward and when I’m not paying attention, in the back of my mind I feel like I’m imagining everything, like I could just reach inside myself and pull something out, but when I try I get nothing. I need something.

The clock sounded. Shrill and quick. That meant it was showcase hour. That meant I was screwed. I stared behind me at the clock as its hands traveled through time again, slow and precise. It was boring. So boring. The most boring ornament in my room or any room in the inspiration faction. Everything about us is supposed to scream weird, colorful, and ingenious but the only thing the clock screamed at me was alarm. I had to go. With sweat beading my forehead I walked out my room, me in my tie-dye hoodie and red pants poured into a flood of people with as many different colors as there was like to exist in the world. I followed their path to the auditorium. You could never say that anyone in our faction could blend in anywhere, even within our borders, but I’d never felt like so much of an outsider before in my life. At the end of the line, as we entered the spacious auditorium with graffiti and posters and poems covering every inch of every portion of the walls, I felt eyes on every inch of me. They’d be expecting me, I’d put off performing the preceding weeks by implying that I was working on something big, and it was obvious that everyone’s patience was spent during the last showcase. Chatter, laughs and conversations filled the air until everybody filed in and the great proctor signaled for silence.

“I usually have some sort of procedure but everything changes, honestly.” The proctor projected, a small man in a burgundy suit with a red bow-tie and green horn-rimmed glasses. His voice boomed without the aid of technology. “Mario! We’ve been waiting for you to change our worlds for the past month with this project you’ve been working on, our little prodigy. Now’s the scene, present us with the presence of the work that only you have seen.”

Alarm, panic, embarrassment, the emotions spun in my head like a carousel. Swallowing my spit, I started to walk towards the stage, ignoring everyone’s looks of curiosity at the empty-handed prodigy. A foot before the stage, my eyes caught another one of those clocks, simple, plain, and relatable.

Maymunah Rose

I don’t see how it related to the practice, but it was good. Nice voice there.

Claire

Just stumbled across this while doing some homework, but wanted to let you know that you have an great voice and truly captivating writing style. Keep writing!!

Maymunah Rose

Ooh.. I like this one. Let’s see.

Smoke arose all around me as the remains of war stained my formerly beautiful home. Ware always seems to tore people apart, and this one did in four different sects: the Martils, Urynx, Joforus, and the Libdis. I was a Libdis, are symbol a snake. We are quiet but vicious people, always aware and ready to attack. I don’t like it too much, but it’s where I fit in the best- the queit type that I am. Walking the streets, searching for my family, I encountered an old friend. She approached me carefully. By the dragon clasp in her hair, I could tell she was a Martilis – the bold fiery group who started this whole war against the Jofurus. I smirked, yet it wasn’t suprising. “Hello Zepti, it’s been a while. How’s life?” I asked. “Don’t play nice talk on me Emriliah! You’re a Libdis; we’re not friends.” I tried not to look hurt. “So Miss Dragon lady, you decided to follow the stupid grudges held after this war.” She snorted. “I was chosen to search for the motif of my tribe, I can’t be open.” I raised my eyebrow. “Oh, then we’re in this together. I was chosen also.” She shifted uncomfortably and then grew really mad. “I’m not working with you! Us Martilis are determined to find our emblem first. You other groups can fall to the ground for all I care. And I already know where my emblem is.” “Where?” I asked. “In the Upala Volcano.” I turned very pale as she turned around and walked off. So this is what the leaders were now doing? Sending people off to their deaths? Not on my watch. With a determination I never knew I had, I made up my mind to stop this nonsense. Dashing after my former friend I screamed, “Wait! Can’t you see. Think for once Zepti! These people are just trying to get us to kill each other, they don’t need some stupid emblem. We’re just part of the game. But it’s not a good game, let us turn it off. I’m going to stop it. But I’m going to need some help.” Zepti stopped in her tracks. I came closer. ” I said I’m not working with you,” she reaffirmed. I smiled to myself. “Remember the time when we were younger? We were playing together in the backyard and you got stuck in the thorns. You didn’t want anyone to see you, so I spent a whole hour trying to get you out. After it you said that you owe me one big time, you promised. You never break promises and I never do to you. You never paid me back, this is the time to do so.” She squinted her eyes at me and I could tell she was trying to put that brain of hers to work. “You know, I don’t like this war that much either,” she admitted. “But my father…” “Forget about your father! He can’t kill you, and your much to old for a spanking.” “Fine,” she said simply.

I nodded thankfully, and we made our way together through the ashes. I wrapped my black hair and stared at my city once more. “You,” I promised to myself, “you my beloved city will be strung together to one once more, even if it cost some lives.” Me and Zepti had just put ourselves in something that was full of dangers and regrets, but their was no turning back. My city would be saved.

That was over fifteen minutes, but I liked writing that. Please tell me what you think, and if I should consider adding to it.

Eliese

Hi Maymunah Rose. I liked our story. It had a few rough draft mistakes, but that’s ok. I thought your symbols, and motif were well done, and the separation between groups was clearly defined. I like to see when people enjoy what they are writing, and I could feel that here.

Maymunah Rose

Thank you so much! I really appreciate Eliese. Yeah, I didn’t bother going back to edit it because I’m a bit of a perfectionist and would probably change a lot.

Chloee

I walked down the worn out dirt road past the buildings that had seen better days but were now had peeling paint, broken windows, and missing shingles. The setting sun cast shadows on the ground making the walk more daunting then I hoped. I walked past people worn out workers and children and morthers. All had the same tatto on their arm the numbers 666. Our part of the country. Years ago there had been a war. Much blood was shed and Famlies were broken apart. Now the captial kept us in separate catorgrys. There are three. The Vixens, the Airsly, and then us the Howlens.

I walked past them and crept up to the fence that separated us from the outside of others. I slipped my fingers through the holes grabbing the metal. I gripped the dagger in my right pocket. The summer breeze blew my red hair and carried the smell of smoke. I heard footsteps and turned around. I looked at two other kids my age. A girl my age with dirty brown hair and murky hazel eyes that glazed over as if it was sleeping, and another girl my age with black hair and ice blue eyes that were darting as if a caged animal.

“Your CJ from the Howlen clan right?” The brown haired girl asked. “Yes.” “I take it you got the letter?” “Yes and you are?” “Alexis from the Airlsy clan.” The Airlsy were know to be fast thinkers and increablly swift footed. “I’m Roxanne from the Vixen clan.” The black haired girl said. The Vixens were knew to be extreamly crafty and amazing marksmen. She looked at me her eyes piecing through me. “We want you to rejoin the rebellion.” “The what?” “The rebellion.” “A rebellion with only three people?” A raven crowed above me. I looked at it. Was that the same one that followed me on my walk here? “There are more of us.” Alexis said. “Okay and what?” “We recruit the finest kids from the three clans and train them to overtake the captial.” “We’ll explain it more later.” The raven began to crow again. “Can you shut that thing up!” Roxanne asked. “It’s not mine.” Soon the raven flew off. “Will you join us?” “Your father was the finest warrior in the war.” “Don’t speak about my father.” I said. “Fine.” Alexis began to climb the fence. “Come with us leave all the trouble behind.” I took a deep breath and touched the 666 on my arm. “Okay.”

Maymunah Rose

I like it, makes me want to no more. Just every time there is a new speaker add a new line. But I really liked the story line.

Chloee

Thanks I was thinking of working on it.

Sindhu S

Shouldn’t the title of your post be ‘What’s the Difference Between Symbol and Motif?’

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